I will never forget
by The Deceiving Maiden
Summary: Shintaro dreamt about the snake again after passing out. They knew this might be their last time together, so they talked as Shintaro reflect what he had become from all this. How he felt about everyone now, and how he could never forget about those he met. ShinAya and Shintaro x Ayano!Snake.


**Deceiver: This is based on how Shintaro's snake took the form of Ayano and talked to him in his dream; when a wish is granted completely and the power activates the snake's consciousness disappears.**

**Also my oneshot for August 15****th****! Face forward, boys and girls!**

~.~.~.~.~

**I will never forget**

~.~.~.~.~

He should be used to it, he remembered it, but no matter how many Routes Shintaro had been through, the idea of having _already _been on the death coaster so many times still made him throw up.

But this time was worse. He passed out. The last thing he remembered was Kano and Ene (or Takane but the name stuck) were about to laugh their heads off with Seto and Haruka about to catch him.

And Ayano cried his name out as she watched him fall unconscious.

The soft laughter beside him made him open his eyes and glare at the person beside him. "Not funny."

The girl stopped at a giggle. "Well, it still is."

Groaning at her answer, Shintaro sat up. He was definitely unconscious now, because his surrounding was in complete darkness. The gang wasn't anywhere around and Ayano was the only person with him, wearing her middle school uniform and her signature red scarf around her neck.

Well, she wasn't _really _Ayano. It was just the form his snake, the Retaining Eye, took to talk to him whenever she could in his dreams. Before he could never remember any of it, but that was because he didn't even know he was born with those Eyes after the first Route ended. Now that they were out of the loop because he and Ayano showed Mary the meaning of meetings and farewells, he could tell when he was in a fantasy or in reality.

"What is it now?" he asked, more of curiosity than in irritation. He never thought he could talk to her again when there was no need to hint on him remembering anything anymore.

The snake just smiled. "Well, I didn't get the chance to talk to you at all. And also," she looked down at her lap, "you have some questions, don't you?"

Leave it to a snake living inside his body to know what he was thinking. Sighing, he stared at the dark space in front of him. "Yeah, a few."

"I can answer them while our time still last," she told him, and he nodded.

"Yeah," he looked at her, getting straight to the point. "Are all snakes like you?"

"No, not all…the Wide Awakening Eye and I are a bit special," she closed her eyes. "Every other snake has a bit of consciousness, but they're not as smart as us." She didn't sound arrogant as she said this. "However, I became like this because of every reset of the Routes. Like how you remember all the Routes with my powers, I also remember, as this ability is mine." She smiled as she turned to him, "And to answer your next question, that is how I took the form of Tateyama Ayano."

"That's the thing," he turned to her, "why her?"

"You're a smart person, Shintaro. You should know why," she looked up at the darkness above them. "After going through all those Routes, I know you realized your past feelings…and what Tateyama Ayano wanted you to know. Even though you couldn't remember them."

The hikiNEET didn't say anything, but looked at the snake in front of him. Seeing her in his dreams never made him realize it was all fake, created by his snake to make him remember his role. He was a bit more caught up on remembering his past with Ayano, all the way until the dream ended and forgot all about it when he woke up. "I soon realized you weren't her though."

"Much later," she laughed. "But it still made you figure out why she died and what you had to do."

He hummed. "Yeah, she wanted to protect everyone…" he paused for a second, "but I wanted to remember her always."

The snake smiled silently, soft red eyes staring at nothing. "That was also your wish."

He nodded, letting them get engulfed by the silence. The next question was on his lips, but he let time pass, not wanting this to end yet. "Yes…my wish…" he started reluctantly. "What will happen to you now? Once a wish is granted, your consciousness would…"

"It isn't happening yet, but it will soon," she looked up above her. "You didn't remember everything all the time in every Route, but before I could disappear the Queen reset the Route, preventing my own 'death'." She took a breath in. "Your wish has been granted ever since you took Tateyama Ayano out of Kagerou Daze, and it would only be a matter of time I'll have to disappear and let you fully control the Eyes."

He felt his breath hitch, and he slowly let it out. "I won't see you again."

"I wonder about that. Maybe I'll be in your next dream and I can still talk to you. Or maybe I've already lost my consciousness and the next time I see you, I won't be able to recognize you but as the host I live in." She smiled at him. "But that's what we snakes do, grant our master's wish, even if they are not the Queen."

"Yes, but you snakes aren't all pleasant."

"Hey, now that's rude!" she pouted. "Konoha is a nice snake!"

"Too nice," he shook his head, not wanting to remember the fact he was gone. Ayano smiled sadly at him, a hand on his shoulder to rub in comfort. Ever since then, Shintaro sometime felt his presence nearby.

"He isn't completely gone." Shintaro looked up at her, surprised to see her smiling still. "What you felt back then wasn't a lie," she took her hand back. "That snake that became Konoha is also Kokonose Haruka, both in body and mind. His snake might have lost itself for Asahina Hiyori after the Wide Awakening Eye took over, but those memories are still somewhere in him. So someday," she let out a cheerful giggle, "he'll remember. The times you spent with him and wanted to be his friend. Everything."

Shintaro stared at his snake, couldn't believe what he heard. "He's still…"

"Someday. I am sure."

They sat there in silence, staring at each other. After a moment, Shintaro grinned in relief. "Good, Haruka felt like he was missing out, even though he was technically with us all this time."

"He would be happy to have Konoha's memories," she added in. They laughed at the idea, knowing that would be true. After it died down, she looked away. "Well, it's time."

Shintaro sighed. "I see…" he got up, but reached his hand out to her. The snake stared at it in surprise, before taking and let him pull her back up. "Thank you for everything," he said. "If it weren't for you, we might not have been able to escape the endless summer." Even if she was a snake created by Mary so then she would have enough power to make a new Route, it was also thanks to her that he was able to understand everything and become the hero Ayano saw in him.

She shook her head. "I didn't do that much of a good job though."

"Liar," he chided. "You're the one who said it all depended on me to remember."

"Oh," she laughed sheepishly. "That is true."

Their hands were still linked, and Shintaro could feel he was going to wake up from this dream soon. He looked at his snake expectantly, waiting.

"You're not going to say it?"

"I can…" she shrugged. "Do you want me to?"

"No," he shook his head. "I want to say it."

The snake blinked in confusion, a small frown on her lips. Knowing he didn't have much time, he said the words she always used when they departed, only a little different…

~.~.~.~.~

Shintaro cringed as he felt the heat beating down on him, making him groan. He tried to roll over to get away from the light, and he felt his pillow beneath his head squirming. Grumbling in his sleep, he reached out and hugged it, keeping it secured to under his cheek.

"Shintarooooooooo!"

The hikiNEET snapped his eyes open, seeing nothing at first before he looked up to see Ayano, the real Ayano in her white dress and her red scarf missing, blushing madly even though her hands covered her face. He had two seconds to notice this, not getting up though until he heard a twig snapping behind him. Rolling over, he saw Kano and Kido staring at him, the blond's casual smile looking malicious.

"Dear Leader, permission to beat up Mekakushi-Dan Member No. 7?"

"Permission granted."

Shintaro scrambled off Ayano's lap and the both of them tried to stop the deceiver's advances. Seto just so happened to come upon the scene, letting out light hearted laughs before rushing over to stop his blond friend. Mary stared after them, munching on a crepe filled with strawberries and cream.

While Kano reported to Seto on what happened, Shintaro felt his face grew hot as he turned to Ayano. "S-Sorry."

"N-No! It's not your fault…" Ayano laughed softly, pulling the skirt of her dress lower. His face went even hotter, couldn't believe he was hugging those legs in his sleep.

"Damn, I always knew Shintaro's leg fetish was a thing." The mocking voice made him snap his head around to see Takane and Haruka beside him, the tallest male waving his hand cheerfully while carrying a bag of amusement park food. Momo, Hibiya and Hiyori were right behind them, carrying more bags containing the food they bought and made. The hikiNEET growled at the pig tailed girl, which she smirked at.

"One more word…"

"Or what?" Takane challenged.

"One more word, Ene, and I'll tell Haruka your time as Ene when you looked disappoint in the past Routes…" at that, Takane's jaw dropped to the floor, a vein popping dangerous on his forehead. Within a second, they engaged into a heat discussion on who had the most embarrassing moment. Shintaro couldn't believe he was winning, he had all the memories of the past Routes in his hands and he picked out all the ones related to her.

"I don't remember that!"

"Well it happened."

"You're lying!"

Haruka tried to stop Takane from attacking Shintaro, which he smirked at. It felt so good to get back at her after she invaded his life as a pesky virus all those Routes ago. He felt Ayano tapping at his shoulder, her cheeks puffing up.

"Stop teasing Takane-san already, Shintaro!" she scolded, effectively silencing him. He never realized how Ayano could get angry so easily, and it made Kano snicker at him.

"Feel the wrath of Ayano nee-chan," the deceiver waved his fingers in front of the him, making ghost sounds. Both Shintaro and Kido stared blankly at him

"Shut it," they said in union, the leader karate chopping his head softly.

Everyone laughed at Kano's dismayed before deciding to set up lunch. They all chatted with each other, carefree as if they weren't almost killed a few days ago. Mary showed her close friends the crepes she got for everyone until Kido scolded her that they had lunch made already. Haruka was already munching down on his share, with Takane and Hibiya gawking until the latter tried to eat as much when Hiyori admired the older male. Staring at them, Shintaro sighed and turned to Ayano.

"Noisy bunch," he grumbled, which Ayano pouted at.

"You're not having fun?"

He remembered he was always asked that when he left his room, but instead of reluctantly, he let out a grateful smile.

"Yeah, I am."

Ayano smiled brightly, clapping her hands. Shintaro blushed at her gesture, looking away. "You're still acting weird."

"E-Eh? Am I?"

He scratched the back of his head. "Yes you are, but it's not like I mind. You do it all the time when you're happy, right?" he glanced at her when he said this. Ayano stared at him in awe, but then smiled at him again.

"Yes! I'm really happy!"

Smirking at her answer, Haruka called out to them to sit with them already. Both the couple joined in, Ayano helping with setting out the rest of the lunch while Shintaro sat beside him. Looking at everyone now, being all fussy over small things and laughing together in this hot summer day, Shintaro remembered he would have found them as annoyance and useless. But right now, he enjoyed being with them

He knew he would never forget about this. What he experienced, meeting everyone in the past and now. And how they were all gathered together. Not as monsters. But as friends who wanted to change their solitude.


End file.
